


Christmas Wishes

by MorganaNK



Category: Inspector Lynley - All Media Types, Inspector Lynley Mysteries (TV)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-21
Updated: 2016-12-21
Packaged: 2018-09-11 00:14:20
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,651
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8944981
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MorganaNK/pseuds/MorganaNK
Summary: It's the Lynley Foundation Christmas Eve Ball, and Tommy has convinced Barbara to attend.  He has something he needs to tell her.





	

**Author's Note:**

> Property of Elizabeth George and the BBC, no copyright infringement intended.
> 
> Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to everyone who has been kind enough to read my fics, give me kudos, and/or comment on them. 2016 has been difficult, and you have all brought a smile to my face when there has been little else to do so - thank you all, I hope 2017 brings you all joy and happiness

I swallowed deeply and then, with my shoulders back and my head held high, I walked into the hotel function room. I didn’t want to be here, which was why I had left it as late as possible to arrive, but Tommy had pretty much begged me, and I found it hard to refuse him anything, especially when he turned his puppy dog eyes on me. 

I kept to the edge of the room, not wanting to draw attention to myself. Even though I had made an effort to at least look like I belonged, I felt completely underdressed next to the silk evening gowns and mountains of diamonds that surrounded me. Snagging a glass of champagne off the tray of a passing waiter, I pressed myself into a secluded corner and observed the guests. Tommy could come and find me!

~*~

I had been looking out for Barbara all evening; part of me was convinced that she wouldn’t show, the rest of me knew that, although she might keep me waiting to prove a point, she would never break a promise or let me down.

It had taken quite a bit of persuasion on my part to get her to agree to attend the Lynley Foundation Christmas Eve Ball, and I could understand why she wasn’t particularly enthusiastic about giving up her evening to do something that was so completely out of her comfort zone, however, I needed her to be with me. Since she had rescued me after Helen had died and Julia was murdered, we had spent virtually every waking moment together, and I had come to the realisation that Barbara was everything I needed in a woman, and that I was hopelessly in love with her. I hadn’t yet summoned up the courage to tell her; but I was hoping that I would find the nerve tonight.

I was half listening to the air-headed blonde in front of me who had been trying to capture my attention for the last hour when I finally saw Barbara walk through the door. The moment I set eyes on her I was hypnotised. 

I absently muttered my apologies and headed across the room. I watched as Barbara helped herself to a glass of champagne and then tried to blend in with the wallpaper, something she failed miserably at, looking the way she did there was no way on earth that I wouldn’t spot her, she was jaw droppingly gorgeous.

~*~

Someone stood in front of me; I looked up and found myself staring into Tommy’s eyes. I felt as if he was looking straight through me into my soul, so I blushed and looked down at the floor.

“Look at me Barbara.”

His voice washed over me and I shivered. His finger hooked under my chin and made me raise my head to look at him.

“You look beautiful.”

I blushed again, but found myself leaning against his hand which was now cradling my cheek. My head was telling me that I was playing with fire, but my heart was overruling it.

“You don’t look too bad yourself.”

Tommy rested against the wall beside me and smiled, “from you that is the highest of compliments. Thank you for coming tonight, it means a lot to me.”

I smiled back at him. “Don’t go thinking I’ll make a habit of it; I only came because you asked me so nicely.”

~*~

I decided to grab fate with both hands, “so now wouldn’t be the right time to ask you to spend Christmas Day with me too?”

“Tommy!” She looked so shocked that I had to bite my tongue not to laugh at her expression, I also didn’t think that she was aware that she had called me Tommy instead of the usual sir.

“What? Is it such a shock? We have spent Christmas together before.”

“That was when we got snowed in at Howenstow, we didn’t have any option but to stay.”

“We’re both rostered off, so I thought that you might like to come to Eaton Terrace and spend Christmas Day with me there. I didn’t realise that Howenstow was such a traumatic experience for you.” 

“It wasn’t traumatic, and I’m sorry if I offended you, but be realistic Sir, what would people say if they knew we were spending Christmas Day together?”

“They would probably shout hallelujah and be relieved that we’ve finally stopped skirting around the issue and realised what we mean to each other; and I preferred it when you called me Tommy.”

Barbara blushed again, she looked even more adorable when she was flustered.

“I love you Barbara, and if I am honest I have done for a very long time.”

“And you decided to tell me here and now because???”

“Because one of us had to say something. Because now is as good a time as any. Because I can’t keep my feelings to myself any longer. But most of all because I don’t want to waste another minute alone when I could be spending it with you, and I really hope that you feel the same way.”

She put down her glass, and then I felt her hand slide into mine. I let her lead me out of the room and into the grounds of the hotel. She stopped when she reached a bench, sitting down and tugging me down beside her.

“Talk to me Barbara. I’ve told you how I feel but you haven’t said a word. Am I wrong in thinking that you love me as much as I love you?”

She shivered again, and this time I was sure it was from the cold, it was a chilly night, not really the best weather for sitting outside. I shrugged off my jacket and draped it around her shoulders, before sitting back down beside her and taking hold of her hand again.

“I thought I kept my feelings for you hidden. I convinced myself that it was better that you didn’t know, because if you did I would lose your friendship.”

I stroked the palm of her hand with my thumb, “you will never lose my friendship.”

“What if things don’t work out?”

“You’re writing off our relationship before we have even taken the first step.”

“This isn’t a game to me Tommy; what I have with you, our friendship, it is more than I ever thought I would have with anyone and it is precious beyond measure. However much I love you, I can’t risk losing you, I wouldn’t survive it.”

I slid my arm around her shoulder and hugged her to me, my heart lifting as her arm slipped around my waist.

“Barbara, you and I have been in a relationship for over ten years. What started off as a professional partnership has evolved into something that is so very much more. When I first met you I had no idea that you would turn out to be the one person I needed to complete my life. You know me and yet you still like me; you mean everything to me, and you make me a better person, a better man. I don’t love you because of that though, I love you because of who you are. You are brave, you don’t let adversity hold you back or keep you down, and you have a heart that has an almost boundless capability for love, compassion and forgiveness. I want to marry you, I want us to have children. I want to share everything that life has to offer with you, and I hope that you feel the same way.”

“Isn’t it usual for a couple to have at least kissed before offers of marriage are bandied about?”

“Is that a request?”

“More a question mixed with an observation.”

I leaned forward and kissed her tenderly on the mouth, fighting a smile as she yielded to me almost without hesitation. When we broke for air I gave up fighting and grinned from ear to ear.

“You look like the cat that got the cream.”

“No, I’m the earl who has just been kissed by the woman I love.”

Barbara giggled, “I don’t think there’s any difference.”

“If it makes you happy then…”

She stood and held out her hand to me. I looked at her quizzically.

“Are you coming?”

“Where?”

“Eaton Terrace.”

I leapt to my feet and grabbed hold of her hand, making Barbara laugh again. “Someone’s keen!”

I slung my arm around her shoulder and pulled her close, “Of course I am, I have a present to unwrap.”

~*~

“What made you change your mind?”

I propped myself up on my elbow, stroking Tommy’s chest with my other hand. “It’s Christmas, a time for love, and so I decided it was about time I stopped being afraid and started believing that good things can happen to me. After all, it was a very good thing when you came into my life.”

He smiled at me, and my heart skipped a beat as it always did. I smiled back at him fondly.

“So, now that your objection has been taken care of, have you given any more thought to my other suggestion?”

I continued to stroke his chest and decided to play ignorant, “what suggestion would that be?”

“The one where you become my wife and we retire from the Met to bring up a small tribe of children?”

“Oh, that one. Yes, I’ve given it some thought.” I knew that I was being wicked, but I was enjoying teasing him.

“Are you planning on sharing your thoughts with me?”

I lowered my head so that my mouth was by his ear, “my answer is yes.”

Tommy rolled us so that he was on top of me and then kissed me deeply.

“I promise you won’t ever regret this Barbara. I love you.”

I kissed him back, “I love you too Tommy, Merry Christmas.”


End file.
